Contact brush and holder therefor



May 6, 1930, N. D. I EvlN CONTACT BRUSH AND HOLDER THEREFOR Filed Deo. 26, 1923 un TM K Patented May 6, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NILS I). LEUIN, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE JEFFREY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, .A CORPORATION OF OHIO CONTACT BRUSH AND HOLDER THEREFOR Application mea December as, 192s. serial No. 682,790.

. The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in contact brushes and holders therefor, and particularly to brushes of the class adapted to use in electric controllers to contact with the segments, of the controller cylinder and thereby establish electrical connections between the conductors of an electric locomotive to form circuits suitable to control the actuation of the motors thereof.

it is the especial object of this invention tol provide an improved mechanism of the class described which shall be reliable and efficient in service and simple and economical to manufacture.

The means whereby I attain this object are fully set forth in the following specification reference being had to the accompanying drawings of whichj Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the preferred embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the 'device illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the device illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken along the line .lV-.IV of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail of the tension spring abutment.

Figs. 6 and'7 are respectively front and side views of the contact brush disassociated from its holder.

Like numerals refer to similar. parts in the several figures.

In the drawings the numeral 1 refers to the insulating foundation to which are secured,by suitable bolts 2, a plurality of brush holders 3. The foundation 1 is a part of the framework of an electric controller, but as the general arrangement ofsuch controllers is well understood by those skilled in the art, and as those matters form no part of the present invention, fulll description and illustration of them is not thought to be required at this time. As all of the brush holders are alike illustration of one is thought to suiiice.

The brush holder 3 consists of a metallic body having a Hat brush supporting surface 4 adapted to engage the flat face of the brush to hold it in position to contact with the segment of the controller cylinder which is indicated by the dotted lines at 5 in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The brush consists of a straight copper bar 6 preferably flat and of rectangular cross section, to the outer end of which is attached a copper contact tip 7 adapted to form a fair bearing upon the contact segment 5 of the controller cylinder. A flange 8 projecting from the body of the brush holder and extending above the sup.- porting surface 4 is adapted to engage the inner end of the brush bar 6 to prevent its longitudinal movement when contact is established with the moving segments 5. Other flanges 9 and 10, formed on the body ofthe brush holder, are adapted to engage the lateral edges of the brush bar 6 to prevent its lateral displacement, but Vthese langes are so positioned as to permit freedom of movement of the brush bar perpendicular to the supporting surface 4. Midway the length of the brush .bar 6 there is formed a longitudinally elongated aperture 11 through which projects a stud 12 which is attached to the forward extension 13. of` the brush holder, and the proportions of these parts art such that the stud 12 affords no restraint to either lateral or longitudinal movement o'f the brush bar 6. Fixed tothe stud 12 near its outer end is a transverse pin 14 which projects at both sides of the stud, and is adapted to cooperate with the slots 15 formed in the thumb nut 16 to produce a bayonet joint by which said thumb nut is removably secured to said stud. A compression spring 17 encircling the stud 12 abuts against the brush bar 6 and the thumb nut 16 to resilient- 1ly, hold the brush bar 6 -in contact with the supporting surface 4 of the brush holder and the segment 5 of the controller cylinder.- An adjusting screw 18 threaded 'through the brush bar 6 vis adapted to engage the extension 13 of the Ybrush holder to adjustably l to the conductor 21 of the circuit to be con-A ing member, said face and bar diverging totrolled, and a iexible conductor 22 electriward the forward end of the latter.

cally connects the brush bar 6 with the binding post 20 without impairing the freedom of movement of the brush bar.

In testimony whereof Ifhave hereunto set my hand.

By the construction above described I have produced a controller brush and holder of great reliability and efficiency in service, convenience of manipulation, and simplicity of construction, from which is completely eliminated the destructive effects of electric currents passing through either the tension spring or the pivotal support of the brush, andIchave attained extreme liexibility of ,support by which is insured perfect contact between the brush and controller segment, coupled with convenience of removal and replacement of the brush, and assurance of its proper pressure upon the contact segment of the controller. 7

What I claim is 1. In an electric controller, the combination with a brush holder, of a brush comprising an elongated metallic bar, a stud pro]ect ing from said brush holder transversely of said bar, an abutment removably attached to said stud by,a bayonet joint, and a spring interposed between said stud and said bar to hold the latter in operative position upon said brush holder.

2. 4In an electric controller, a brush comprising'an elongated metallic bar having a medial aperture, and a brush holder comprising two integrally formed seating por- -tions for the bar, one of said seating portlons comprising an abutment an e for the rear end of the bar and a lateral a utment flange for that end of the bar on each side thereof,

*the other seating portion being disposed at ,a spring interposed `the medial portion of the bar and compris? ing an abutment axge at each side of the bar,

a pin extending through the last-named seating portion and said medial aperture, abutment means on said in beyond the bar, and tween said abutment v means and bar whereby the latter is urged 3; In an electric controller, a brush comtoward the twoseating portions.

Lseating portion being disposed at the medial portion of the'bar'and comgprisingan abutment 4flange at each side of ebar, a pin extending through the last-named seating portion and wsaid medial aperture, abutment ,means on said pini beyond the bar, and a spring interposedbetween said abutment means'and bar whereby the latter is urged toward the two seating portions, said brush holder having a face on 1ts`side opposite-the v bar adapted to be secured a support- NiLs D. 

